Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters. I don't profit from this story, it is only written for entertainment. Oh, and because I was bored with studying.
A/N: I got some of the concepts in this story from articles I read at en./wiki/Akita(dog) and en./wiki/Inugami
A/N: I haven't seen a fanfiction that uses this idea so I thought I give it a try. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1: The Akita's Pack Past
Sesshoumaru in the past has been known to be cruel, ruthless and cold. He seemed to be a creature completely devoid of emotion except for anger and pure rage. His face for the most part appeared deadpan and indifferent. Only once in a while did his true rage break through his aloof facade. When it did, it was like a catastrophic explosion.
In the past he looked down on humans as though they were insects. He also loathe their very existence. Most beings who encountered him thought that he hated humans simply because he thought he was better then them. However that is not the reason he hated humans. He only treated them like trash as a result of his hatred. The more anger he held toward a being, the more disdainful and callous he becomes.
Humans and youkai either treated him with disgust, fear or hatred because he was not one of them. Or in the youkai case, they were envious of his power. Humans tend to fear what they don't understand and most either run or attack. Those beings that attacked him were killed quickly without mercy. This is one of the reasons he was angry with his father for mating with a human and siring a pup with her. The pup Inuyasha was the physical manifestation of what he saw as his fathers' betrayal. You see, Sesshoumaru as well as his mother where the only living beings that knew the truth about their heritage. Even though he is a young in youkai terms he is over six centuries old. Sesshoumaru father and mother were over one thousand years old. His pack experienced cruelty at the hands of humans when he was a young pup. Hence, one of the main reasons why he hated the human race for such a long time. The torture by the humans they trusted occurred over four hundred years before Inuyasha or his mother was born.
The Akita clan of Inu youkai was not youkai at all; in fact they were Inugumai (dog gods/goddess). This is one of the reasons they are so powerful. And one of the reasons why Inuyasha, a supposedly weak hanyou, is much stronger then most hanyou (half human/half youkai) and youkai.
Over six centuries ago before the time of Naraku and after the time of Midoriko, youkai plentiful in Japan. And so were human uprisings. Not only did priest, mikos and monks exist but there were a few people that practiced witchcraft and sorcery. These humans would use other creatures to do their bidding by creating familiar spirits. This familiar spirits were powerful guardians used to either protect and/or avenge their Inu Mochi (Inugumai masters). In order to create these creatures they would use animals like a fox for instance. One of the sorcerer/sorceress favorite animals to use was Inus. They preferred these animals because they morphed into extremely powerful familiar spirits when then complete the ritual. They were also very protective and loyal by nature.
The ritual the Inu Mochi performed was very cruel and barbaric. It was the same ritual Inu no Tashio, Sesshoumaru mother Tosakagin (crest silver) and Sesshoumaru experienced when he was a pup.
They were once normal wild and free Akita canines whom roamed the forest. They were captured by three evil sorcerers. They were husband and wife and owed a portion of what is know now as the Western Lands. Their oldest child and heir to their land stayed with them. During the female and male Inu time with the humans, they were treated well. In return they protected their masters fiercely. They even mated and sired a pup together. A short time after the pup was born, the evil sorcerers decided to use the Inu trust against them. They decided to use them to finally exact their revenge.
A few years earlier, before they took in the Akita's, two of their youngest children were killed over a land dispute. The members of the family that killed the youngest children were avenging their parents who were killed by the husband's magic. Since their family has used the dark arts for generations, they wanted to use those same methods to get revenge on their enemies. The two human families had been fighting over that land for years. Death, grief and destruction were all the family caused each other. One family used weapons while the others used magic. Wanting revenge for their family member's death and wanting someone powerful to guard their land they decided to perform the ritual.
The ritual was a long process because first, all of the family members had to earn the trust of the future familiar animals in order for the spell to work. This could take months or even year when it is a wild animal(s). Second wild animals that have been tamed by their masters were the only creatures they could use. Third each member of the house had to have their own familiar spirit in order to increase the overall protection of the occupants of said house. This is why they had to wait on the two Akita's to mate and have a surviving puppy. The other two puppies were weak and were still born. Last, the ritual also had to be performed on a certain night. The night depends on which type of animal they chose to use.
The ritual for Akita's was performed on the night of the crest moon. The three Inu's were summoned by their masters to come forth. The mother Inu was breast feeding her pup while the father was hunting for food for them to eat. The Inu's quit their activities and obeyed their master's command. The male Inu approached the king first followed by the mother and the pup she carried by the scruff of his neck. The Inu animal instinct was blocked by their trust in their masters and their master's magic. The husband kneeled down to the male dog's level showing him mock affection. As he slipped his hand behind his neck he stuck a small paralyzing poison dart right in the back of his neck in the spine.
While the mother Inu was districted by her mates angry growl, the wife grabbed her from behind and proceed to attack her in the same matter her mate was attacked. While her mate managed to bite the husband and try to make his way to his mate and his pup, she fell almost instantly. He collapsed a few feet in front of his pack and lost consciousness. She was only able to growl as her pup whined at the sight of his parents. The humans' heir took the pup from him mother mouth and injected the same poison into the back of his neck. The poor pup was only able to whine before he passed out.
The pup woke up to the sound of his father furious growls and his mothers' distress howls. The smell of cooked and raw meat hit his sensitive nose making his month water. The poor Inu's were famished. However, their hunger turned ravenous and their thirst increased greatly because they were unable to access the nourishment they needed. They were buried up to their necks in the cold hard ground and surrounded by food and water they could not reach.
During the time the Inu pack was buried up to its neck in dirt, their Inu Mochis' all would visit them in the field and repeatedly tell them that their pain far surpassed the pure white Akita's. This was done to gain the Inus' cooperation. The Inus' were also told that if they have a soul and do as they are told, they would be worshiped as gods.
A week passed before the pup was the first to lose his battle with starvation. He was shortly followed by his mother. Then his father was the last to go. When the pack was reborn, they all were Inugumi and the food they were denied earlier was given to them as a peace offering in order to gain the Inugumi obedience.
The Akita breed of Inu is dominant, intelligent, stubborn, aloof, hunters whom get bored easily. They are also easy to train and are even known to be gentle with small children and babies. They are also very large strong Inus that are extremely loyal and fierce protectors. Many of these traits make these beautiful creatures the perfect familiar spirits and excellent weapons.
But what the Inu Mochi didn't count on was the fact that the Akita's has personality and more intelligence then they could ever dream of. They didn't like to be used to perform their masters' evil deeds. The ritual accelerated the pups' growth physically and mentally. It also aged the parents physically and mentally making the parents over 500 years old in youkai years. This was due to the fact that with age comes wisdom as well as power.
The Akita pack did as they asked and killed all of the humans responsible for their masters' family members' deaths. Afterwards however, they turned on their masters and hunted them to the break of insanity. They hated to be manipulated in any way, it didn't matter how much power their Inu Mochi had given them. Besides, what good would power do them if they were not free from those traitors'. Then they possessed the sorcerers, the humans that tortured their loyal companions' so. The possession killed the human instantly and forced their souls out of their bodies completely taking them over. The female Inu possessed the wife, the male possessed the husband and the pup possessed their only remaining child.
The already powerful spirits strength increased exponentially when they possessed the humans. Their true form increase in size, their strength, speed, six senses and other abilities increased at an incredible rate. They even gain the ability to create toxic green poison that could be sprayed from their claws. This was the same paralyzing poison that knocked them unconscious that faithful day their masters betrayed them. Only the strength of the poison that day was nothing compared to the strength of the poison that dripped from their claws. They also gained the ability to take on a humanoid forms like some youkai do. Even thought they originally possessed human bodies, the vassals were completely changed from human to the tough strong body of an Inugumi. Their basic attributes remained the same. Though as sentient beings they took on other personality characteristics. Such as the ability to speak and something similar to human emotions.
The practice of Inu Mochi was rare and most of the families that practiced the Inu Mochi traditions either died off or was killed. The family the Akita destroyed was the last Inu Mochi that existed in Japan.
The Akita Inugumai took over the humans lands. Eventually they took over the entire Western Lands and decided to hide their true origins by claiming to be Inu youkai. The anger and hurtful betrayal they felt was part of the reason why they decided to declare themselves as Inu youkai. They wanted to deny that humans were the reason why they became Inugami. They wanted to forget the power the humans once had over them. They wanted to live independently from any form of servitude to a species that would treat them so poorly. Eventually however Inu no Tashio hatred for humans dissolved. He knew that if it wasn't for the Inu Mochi horrible deeds, they would not be in the powerful position they were in today.
He also found that he was tired of being angry all the time. He was a curious creature and he studied the behavior of many humans for a long time. He discovered that all humans were not pure evil. Instead he started to feel pity for them and eventually he started to communicate with them. Being the forgiving soul he was he was able to let go of his hatred after many centuries bitterness and mistrust. Inu no Tashio found out from his interactions with humans that they were worth protecting, however many of his youkai subjects didn't like his change of heart. Later on when he took a human mate, he was challenged by one of these youkai, the daiyoukai Ryu. The wounds from the battle were the main cause of his death.
Inu no Tashio first mate was not as forgiving as him and grew angry with her mate involvement with the humans. Eventually they parted ways. She went off on her own leaving her son with his father for training purposes. Their son looks like his mother and has more of her personality traits. One of those traits was her ability to hold a grudge. Sesshoumaru inherited his fathers temper though. But were his father had a short fuse that exploded with loud hot rage when he was angry, Sesshoumaru became cold and calculating. He did explode like his father but it was very rare when it happened. The young Inugami was angry all the time because he had a difficult time letting his fury go and putting it behind him.
When Inu no Tashio mated with a human it was the ultimate slap in his former mates and sons face. He even had the Tessaiga designed to protect his human mate Izayoi and his unborn pup she carried. Later on after Inu no Tashio defeated Shishiki and took his Mediou technique; he had the Tensaiga made from the Tessaiga while Izayoi was still pregnant. He knew how cold and angry his oldest son had become so he had the blade made for him. He knew his oldest son would attack the youngest pup so he had protective sheaths made to go with the swords in order to protect them from each other as well as other enemies. He also gave him the blade because he saw potential in his son. He knew his cold hearted son had the capacity for emotions such as compassion and affection. He knew one day his son would grow to care for others and the Tensaiga will help him find those he is willing to protect. In return, those beings will help him find his true self and his true power. He even knew that his son would use the sword to save weaker beings lives and in essence, the sword will help Sesshoumaru understand the value of life. He also knew in his heart that one day his eldest son would guide the younger weaker one. But he knew his son had a long way to go and a lot of obstacles to overcome before he reached that point. So after his former mate rage had subsided for the most part, he gave her the Meidou stone and told her to use it when the time was right to help their son continue the right path to become a true daiyoukai or in Sesshoumaru's case a true daigumi. Not having the a bad temper like her son and former mates she agreed. Though she was disgusted with the fact Inu no Tashio was having pups with a human, she was willing to help her son. But like her son she held a calm and indifference aura around her.
His youngest pup would have difficulties just because of what he was. He knew Sesshoumaru would not accept him immediately. He knew his son would be shunned by many for being a hanyou, thus another reason he had the Tessaiga made. He wanted the pup to be able to protect himself and learned the importance of using your strength to protect innocent weaker creatures. Not all humans were like the ones who betrayed his pack. Inu no Tashio knew his son's mind would not be able to handle the powers of the Inugami. He would be taken over by the hatred and bloodlust his father felt as a result of his death as an Akita Inu. Though everyone referred to it as Inuyashas' youkai blood taking over.
Eventually he hoped the two would come to an understanding, with his help of course. Even if he wasn't alive he would see to it that his sons learned to be civil towards one another.
Inu no Tashio figured out that they were born to protect the weaker ones as Akita Inu, and they were turned into Inugumai to do the same. However he knew their purpose was not to protect the Inu Mochi whom used them long ago. The Inu Mochi was only a means to an end. Their incredible abilities should be used to guard those who are unable to do it themselves. Besides, what's a warrior without something worth fighting for? There was no reason to deny their natural instinct as Inu to guard others. Having something to protect motivates and gives the protector more strength.
Long after Inu no Tashio's death, both of his sons learned their lessons as they worked together to defeat Naraku. Sesshoumaru learned to let go of his hatred and Jealousy of Inuyasha and his desire for his father swords. He learned to rely on his own strength and as a result he became far more powerful then his father was. In fact both of his pups surpassed him. After all isn't that what every loving parent wants, for their child to do better then them?
The torture of his pack and his overall experience in his pass made him cold and seething with rage. However his continued encounters with Inuyasha, Rin, Kagura and other beings helped him change for the better and helped him learn all of the lessons his father wanted to teach him. Though Sesshoumaru has been through many trails in his life (many because of his father's tests), he was going to be in for one of the toughest one of all his centuries…
TBC
A/N: Hoped you liked it, please review.
